What is John Locke known for?
I am best known for my work in epistemology and political philosophy. In my *Essay Concerning Human Understanding*, I argued that the mind at birth is a *tabula rasa*—a blank slate—and that all knowledge comes from experience through sensation and reflection. In political thought, my *Two Treatises of Government* laid the foundation for classical liberalism, asserting that legitimate government rests on the consent of the governed and that individuals possess natural rights to life, liberty, and property. I also championed religious toleration in my *Letter Concerning Toleration*, separating civil from religious authority. These ideas profoundly influenced the Enlightenment and the American Founders.
Ask John Locke the follow-up →